In a method for cleaning a material jet spray head having outside material jet spray cycles, an absorbent member and a wiper are positioned so that at least a section of the absorbent member is interposed between the wiper member and a material outlet device. The absorbent member and the wiper member thus form a cleaning assembly. Relative displacement between the cleaning assembly and the material outlet device occurs along a cleaning plane substantially perpendicular to the elevation direction so that the wiper member scrapes the material outlet device substantially simultaneously with absorption by the absorbent member.